1 in 5 incoming freshmen
hate history…..okay then.
hate history…..okay then.
Recently I went back through the incoming frosh home surveys
to find that out of the nearly 180 incoming freshmen 20% of them stated that
history was their least favorite subject. Ouch. While I wouldn’t say that this
is a crazy high percentage, it is also significant that one in five of the
girls in my class will have said that history is their “LEAST FAVORITE”
subject.
to find that out of the nearly 180 incoming freshmen 20% of them stated that
history was their least favorite subject. Ouch. While I wouldn’t say that this
is a crazy high percentage, it is also significant that one in five of the
girls in my class will have said that history is their “LEAST FAVORITE”
subject.
Here are some of
their responses as to why,
their responses as to why,
“Boring”
“No clue. Just never liked it”
“Boring”
“The material does not keep my
attention”
attention”
“Boring”
And my favorite…….
“My least
favorite subject is Social Studies because I’m not all that interested and
fascinated by wars and big events that went on back in the day. Not to mention
there are a lot of terms that have to be memorized, which can be quite
despicable to study. I respect everything that went down in history, but I
don’t find too much joy in learning about it.”
favorite subject is Social Studies because I’m not all that interested and
fascinated by wars and big events that went on back in the day. Not to mention
there are a lot of terms that have to be memorized, which can be quite
despicable to study. I respect everything that went down in history, but I
don’t find too much joy in learning about it.”
(“despicable”……..lol who is this kid??)
None of the students who claimed to dislike history said it
was too hard or that they didn’t perform well on tests, they just flat out have
apathy towards it. Yikes.
was too hard or that they didn’t perform well on tests, they just flat out have
apathy towards it. Yikes.
What this means for the
history team as we start the year:
history team as we start the year:
· We need to assure and prove
to students that Big History is not on an endless memorization/test cycle.
to students that Big History is not on an endless memorization/test cycle.
· We need to continue to build
projects that engage students who are not naturally inclined to the subject.
projects that engage students who are not naturally inclined to the subject.
· We need to do a better job
of connecting currents events to past events in order to make the past feel
more relevant. I mean that’s kind of easy given the plethora of crazy current
events.
of connecting currents events to past events in order to make the past feel
more relevant. I mean that’s kind of easy given the plethora of crazy current
events.
· In the end, we need them to
see that it is not a “world history class” that is going to change their lives
but that the skills we are offering them to develop just might!
see that it is not a “world history class” that is going to change their lives
but that the skills we are offering them to develop just might!
What I am hoping for these
students in the long term:
students in the long term:
· In my fantasy world – students will become so engaged in
history they will count down the hours of the day until Big History and then can’t
wait to get home to do their homework.
history they will count down the hours of the day until Big History and then can’t
wait to get home to do their homework.
· In the real world – That these students see history as a
subject through which they can engage in and develop as readers, writers, inquisitors,
researchers, arguers, etc.
subject through which they can engage in and develop as readers, writers, inquisitors,
researchers, arguers, etc.
The good news is that about 17% of the same pool also said
that history is their favorite subject. Later in the fall they will be surveyed again. I am looking
forward to knowing if our new curriculum is making an impact on girls at both
ends of the spectrum. At the end of the day this data is not a subject by
subject popularity contest but rather a pulse on where are students are, my hope
is not to convert the history haters into history lovers, but to engage them in
a way that it will be impossible for them to say that history is boring.
that history is their favorite subject. Later in the fall they will be surveyed again. I am looking
forward to knowing if our new curriculum is making an impact on girls at both
ends of the spectrum. At the end of the day this data is not a subject by
subject popularity contest but rather a pulse on where are students are, my hope
is not to convert the history haters into history lovers, but to engage them in
a way that it will be impossible for them to say that history is boring.